Fishermans Bend Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Fishermans Bend is Australia’s largest urban renewal precinct covering approximately 480 hectares in the heart of Melbourne. With an area twice the size of the CBD, Fishermans Bend consists of five precincts across two municipalities – the City of Melbourne and the City of Port Phillip – and will connect Melbourne's CBD to the bay.

It is expected that by 2050, Fishermans Bend will be home to approximately 80,000 residents and provide employment for up to 80,000 people.

The Fishermans Bend Taskforce was established in January 2016 to lead the planning of the area. It comprises members from the Department of Transport and Planning.

The Taskforce works with the community, landowners, stakeholders and is currently completing the planning and beginning the delivery phase that will transform Fishermans Bend into a connected, liveable, prosperous, inclusive and sustainable place.

The Taskforce has developed and delivered a number of milestones on the journey to transform Fishermans Bend.

Click here to read an overview of the Framework.

The Fishermans Bend Development Board was established in August 2018 to guide the planning and development of this landmark project for Melbourne. The Board guided engagement with the community, advised on precinct plans and major decisions for Fishermans Bend, supported the growth of healthy, thriving neighbourhoods while creating new jobs.

The Board was chaired by Meredith Sussex AM – an expert on city planning and the chair of the former Fishermans Bend Ministerial Advisory Committee.

She was joined by experts in planning, industry, finance and transport:

• Susan Oliver
• Cheryl Batagol
• Martyn Myer
• Janet Bolitho.

The tenure of the Fishermans Bend Development Board ended on 31 December 2023. For any project related enquiries, please contact the Fishermans Bend Taskforce at fishermansbend@transport.vic.gov.au

Produced in 2016 through extensive consultation, the Fishermans Bend Vision established a clear direction and benchmarks for future planning work and delivery, with a focus on environmental sustainability, liveability, connectivity, diversity and innovation.

Fishermans Bend Taskforce is currently completing the planning and beginning the delivery of services and infrastructure for Fishermans Bend. The final Framework and planning controls have recently been released and the Taskforce is working on precinct planning and an infrastructure funding plan. The Framework and planning controls (GC81) have been implemented in the planning schemes of the City of Port Phillip and the City of Melbourne.

The Framework will guide the transformation of Fishermans Bend, including the strategies for transport infrastructure, community infrastructure, public space, density, cultural historic heritage, activity centres and sustainability.

Released in October 2018, the Framework is a long-term strategic plan for the development of Fishermans Bend to 2050. It will guide investment and development by the Victorian Government, local governments and the private sector.

The Framework builds on the previously released Fishermans Bend Vision and has been prepared with input from the community, industry, key stakeholders and local councils.

It will guide the transition of Fishermans Bend into a connected, liveable, prosperous, inclusive, healthy and environmentally sustainable place.

The Framework provides direction on how the transition of the area will be managed, creating certainty for the community, landowners, developers, businesses and investors.

The Framework was developed by the Fishermans Bend Taskforce. Feedback from public, landowners and industry engagement activities and submissions together with recommendations from an independent panel, have informed and shaped the Framework and the planning controls.

The Framework provides direction on the future development of Fishermans Bend. Key initiatives in the plans for Fisherman Bend include:

• Public transport including proposed future tram and train connections, major roads, bus and cycling links
• New primary and secondary schools, more open space and multi-purpose community hubs
• A 6 per cent affordable housing target by 2050 for all new development
• 80,000 jobs through additional commercial floor area and creation of high value jobs
• Leading sustainability targets including zero net greenhouse gas emissions and 80% of household waste to landfill
• Buildings over 5,000 square metres to be built to a 5 Star Green Star standard
• Strengthened overshadowing controls to protect public open space
• These controls and the Framework replace the Strategic Framework Plan and interim guidelines introduced in November 2016.

A suite of planning controls have been prepared to realise the objectives and strategies in the Framework. The planning controls sit within the Port Phillip and Melbourne Planning Schemes.

Key elements of the planning controls include:

• the introduction of a Dwelling Density Ratio
• a Social Housing Uplift scheme to deliver social housing
• height controls
• overshadowing controls to protect public open space
• building setback controls
• revised car parking controls and rates
• encouragement of dwelling diversity and a range of building types
• water storage and reuse across buildings
• requirement for all new buildings to meet a minimum 4 Star Green Star rating and large scale buildings to meet a 5 Star Green Star rating
• recognition of the role of existing industry in Fishermans Bend, while balancing the needs of future residents.

Since 2014, the Victorian Government has commenced delivery on a number of public infrastructure and development projects within Fishermans Bend.

These include:

• 1.5k new weekly bus services since 2022 on routes between Fishermans Bend and the City.
• $15 million for public transport planning. Station locations and rail route confirmed for Docklands, Sandridge and Innovation Precinct.
• $16 million road safety upgrades plus $1.5 million Road Safety Plan to support safe access to schools.
• Completed Planning for future rail tunnel.
• South Melbourne Primary School (2018),
• Port Melbourne Secondary School (2022)
• New “Kirrip” Community Park in Montague – a partnership between the State Government and the City of Port Phillip (opened October 2018)
• Upgrades to improve passenger experience and accessibility for two tram stops on Routes 109 and 96 that services the Ferrars Street Community and Education Precinct
• Enhanced intersection at City Road and Ferrars Street – enabling increased accessibility and connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists and general traffic
• Purchase of the former General Motors Holden site to create the Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct.
• $4.7m Gateway to GMH pilot project, the first step in Turner Street’s transformation
• Securing the move of the University of Melbourne’s School of Engineering to Fishermans Bend which will see 10,000 new engineering and IT students and academics collaborate with industry leaders.

The public (including landowners) were given every opportunity to participate in consultation activities based on the draft framework over the exhibition period. In addition to the public briefing sessions undertaken with Planning Panels Victoria and the 250 submissions considered there were 27 face to face events with over 1200 participants and digital promotions with a reach of more than 550,000.

Read our engagement report here:

An independent Ministerial Advisory Committee was announced on 21 July 2015 to advise the Minister for Planning on Fishermans Bend. The Committee concluded its work towards the project in early 2018.

Public administration leader Meredith Sussex was the chair of the committee, which also included the Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne, City of Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss and a panel of leading experts and community representatives:

• Lucinda Hartley – urban renewal, design and community engagement expert
• Michelle Howard – social infrastructure, strategic and statutory planning expert
• Eric Keys – integrated transport planning expert
• Rob McGauran – architecture, urban design and housing expert
• Janet Bolitho – community representative and former mayor of City of Port Phillip
• Helen Halliday – community representative, former City of Port Phillip councillor and Fishermans Bend Network member
• Mark Woodland - director, Echelon Planning
• Phil Spender – community representative and local businessman.

The committee was tasked with producing reports to provide independent advice on the planning and the future of Fishermans Bend as the Taskforce progressed through the planning process.

Our Documents page contains reports from the Ministerial Advisory Committee.

The Fishermans Bend Gateway Hub was a place that connected and built the local community, celebrated the precinct’s proud legacy of innovation and manufacturing, and inspired creativity and collaboration in shaping the future of Fishermans Bend during 2022.

The Gateway Hub was located at Shed 21, 206 Lorimer Street (under the Bolte Bridge).

Made possible by the Victorian Government working in partnership with the City of Melbourne, the Gateway Hub helped bring events and programs to life including:

• a monthly pop-up bar and food truck on the Yarra River
• PENDULUM as a part of the 2022 Melbourne Fringe Festival
• Imagine, Design and Make - Fishermans Bend Talk and Tour Series
• Melbourne Fashion Week - Dockside Runway at Gateway Hub
• Open House Melbourne - General Motors Holden Site Tour
• Fishermans Bend Innovation Challenge Pitch Night
• Melbourne Knowledge Week: Fishermans Bend Innovation Bike Tour
• Padel & Bites – every Wednesday lunchtime in June
• Gateway Hub Warming and Fishermans Bend Innovation Mixer.

In 2018, the Victorian Government released the Fishermans Bend Framework which identified two indicative potential heavy rail alignments through Fishermans Bend connecting the CBD to Melbourne’s West. Government has now determined a preferred heavy rail route that considers the future network need, existing technical constraints and live development proposals, where possible. Government’s preferred route is generally in line with the Framework’s northern rail alignment option but has been refined based on further technical assessment.

The planning of the future rail route is a complex engineering task that requires consideration of soil conditions, tunnel design, construction methodology and land use opportunities and constraints. The refinement of the preferred route maximises certainty for delivery to the extent possible and importantly ensures that land use change can be planned around the rail corridor.

There will be no immediate impact to residents or existing businesses, unless development or redevelopment of their land within the future rail corridor is proposed. Government has further refined the preferred rail route through Fishermans Bend and Docklands to ensure greater confidence and understanding of the route and station locations.

As Victoria continues to grow it is important to plan for a second cross city rail tunnel, in addition to the Metro Tunnel, to unlock rail network capacity in growing parts of the State to the west and north-east. This future connection will help take pressure off our public transport network, boosting liveability and connectivity for all Victorians.

No land is proposed to be reserved for acquisition and there is no impact proposed on existing buildings at this time.

The future planning controls will not be retrospectively applied meaning that existing approved developments can proceed as planned while they remain live approvals.